


My Muse

by vanpora



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-05 15:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15866121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanpora/pseuds/vanpora
Summary: Jungeun is a gifted art student struggling to find inspiration until she meets Haseul, aspiring singer and songwriter. As they grow closer, Jungeun realizes Haseul might be the muse she's needed all along.





	1. Breathless.

Despite the chill of the winter air and the cold wind it still didn't stop a sheen of sweat from breaking out on Jungeun's forehead. She slung the guitar case over her shoulder and squinted at the school map, struggling to find the auditorium. With a huff she shoved the map in her pocket and took out her phone to call her friend. It only took a few rings until a chipper voice answered her call.

“Jungeun! Did you find the auditorium?” Jiwoo greeted.

“I can’t, that’s why I’m calling,” she sighed, “I’m pretty sure I’ve circled this campus 3 times, how did you ever figure this place out?”

Jiwoo giggled into the phone, “When you’re a music major you have to. But if you’re still lost why don’t you ask a student to help you? Get here quickly too, I really need my guitar!”

“Alright, fine.”

With a slight grumble Jungeun said goodbye and ran a hand through her hair, looking around for anyone who could help her out. The campus was gloomy, cold and nearly empty aside from the few wilting trees. She sighed and walked forward towards a large building. There were windows with half-drawn blinds but light still peeked from within, catching Jungeun’s attention.

 _Hopefully someone’s in there,_ she sighed as she walked around to find an entrance. She approached a green door and reached for the doorknob, hissing slightly at the feeling of cold metal and turning it. Warm air greeted her immediately along with the faint sound of piano. She peeked her head in slowly and scanned the room, only being greeted by the sight of empty desk chairs and a few instruments laid about.

“Hello?” she called out. Her only response was the sound of piano coming from deeper within the room. Curious, she followed the sound to the back where a doorway led to a separate room but as soon as she walked in she stopped, breathless.

A woman sat at a sleek black piano,her fingers gliding across the keys and playing a sweet melody. Jungeun stared, transfixed by the song (woman) and felt hesitant to interrupt. Her sharp eyes stayed on the keys until she closed them and began to _sing._ Jungeun faltered, still unnoticed by the woman at the piano and felt her heart speed up at the sound of her voice.

It was calming, dream like and entrancing. Time almost felt still. She stood awkwardly in the doorway, gaze fixed on the woman and her heart beating in her ears. Her lips were parted slightly, a slight crease formed between her eyebrows as she focused on the piano.

 _She’s pretty,_ Jungeun thought.

Before any more time passed, a loud ringing erupted from her back pocket and Jungeun felt her heart stop. The woman jumped in her seat and whipped her head around, her eyes immediately locking with Jungeun’s.

_Shit._

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she stammered out an apology as she declined Jiwoo’s phone call.

“Oh, no, it’s okay,” she smiled softly. “Can I help you?” she stood up slowly. Jungeun felt her cheeks warm as she approached her.

“I was just hoping you could help me find the auditorium,” she bit her lip anxiously.

“The auditorium?” she tilted her head, “Are you a new student?”

“Oh, no! No, my friend just asked me to bring her her guitar but I’m really not familiar with this side of campus,” she rubbed the back of her neck.

The girl immediately lit up, “You must be an art student then!” she clasped her hands together. “I can’t imagine how lost you must be feeling,” she laughed softly and walked past her, “Come, I’ll walk you there.”

Jungeun’s eyes widened, “You don’t have to!” she blurted, “I don’t want to interrupt whatever you’re doing.” She awkwardly glanced back to the piano. The girl followed her gaze and simply shrugged.

“It’s nothing. Come,” she waved her over.

* * *

 

“I’m Haseul, by the way,” she said as they walked side by side.

 _Haseul, a pretty name,_ Jungeun smiled to herself.

“I’m Jungeun,” she replied as she readjusted the guitar case on her back. “Since you’re also a music major, do you know Jiwoo?” she asked. Haseul raised her brows slightly before answering.

“Yes, actually. Do you?”

“She’s the one I’m bringing the guitar for,” she nodded towards it with a smile. Haseul smiled too before adjusting her scarf to hide her lower face. Jungeun let out a tired sigh, “She’s lucky I love her or else I wouldn’t be lugging this thing back and forth around campus.”

“Oh, are you two together?” Haseul looked at her. Jungeun nearly tripped at the question.

“No! No, she’s my best friend!” she protested. Haseul laughed into her scarf, her smile reaching her eyes as she pulled it down.

_Even her laugh sounds melodic._

“I’m just messing with you, she’s mentioned you a few times. She says you’re a really talented artist,” Haseul smiled. Jungeun felt her cheeks warm up at the compliment.

“Ah, I don’t know if talented is the right word,” she laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Haseul immediately rolled her eyes.

  
“That’s what all the amazing artists say! I bet you’re just being humble,” she squinted, “Are you working on anything now?”

Jungeun sighed deeply at the question, “I have a project due soon, but… I’m in a little bit of an art block.” She winced slightly at the phrasing, knowing that art block was more than _little._ It had been a month since Jungeun lost the passion she felt while drawing and painting, nothing she pictured or wanted came out right when she tried to put it to paper or canvas. It was frustrating, but Jiwoo insisted she just need a muse, an inspiration. _Maybe a person,_ she glanced at Haseul.

Each breath she let out turned to white mist in the air, a faint tinge of pink dusted her cheeks and even the tip of her nose. Just the sight made Jungeun itch for a pencil in her hand. Their eyes briefly met before Jungeun quickly looked away.  
  
“Maybe you just need a muse,” Haseul said simply. Jungeun had to let out a laugh. “What?” Haseul looked at her curiously.

“Nothing,” Jungeun shook her head, “It’s just Jiwoo always says the same thing.”

“Jiwoo’s smart, you should listen to her,” Haseul laughed. Jungeun rolled her eyes at Haseul and smiled. “But I do hope you find one, I know what it’s like to have a creative block. I always struggle coming up with songs, whether it’s the lyrics or the melody. I might need some new inspiration soon,” she worried at her lip.

Jungeun looked at her, taking in the curve of her nose, the outline of her cheekbones and the shape of her lips. There were moles peppered across her face in random places, small details Jungeun wanted to remember. _For artistic purposes,_ she thought. “I think I might’ve found it already,” she said softly, out of earshot.

“The auditorium right around the corner,” Haseul’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Oh, finally,” Jungeun groaned, “My shoulder’s killing me from carrying this around.”

Haseul opened the door for her as they reached the entrance, the loud clamor of drums greeting them as they stepped into the building. It didn’t take long for Jungeun to spot Jiwoo’s red head of hair among the students and call out to her. “Finally! Thank you so much, Dongdong,” she ran over and wrapped her arms around Jungeun. She groaned slightly at Jiwoo throwing herself at her and set the guitar down immediately.

A giggled followed behind her, “Dongdong?” Haseul smiled. Jungeun closed her eyes in embarrassment.

“That’s Jiwoo’s nickname for me,” she sighed. Jiwoo crossed her arms as she looked curiously between them.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other!” she grinned.

“Oh, no. Jungeun just asked for help finding the auditorium,” Haseul corrected her.

“Thanks again for helping me, Haseul,” Jungeun said, enjoying the way her name rolled off her tongue.

“It’s nothing, I enjoyed meeting you. I have to go now but, I hope I see you around again,” she gave a faint smile, her eyes meeting Jungeun’s for a moment.

“I hope so too,” Jungeun smiled back. As Haseul walked away, Jiwoo stared intently at Jungeun. “What?” she asked.

“You seem different, brighter. Did something good happen?”

Jungeun blinked at her, feeling her heart race at the immediate thought of Haseul. “I just… found a new muse is all,” she said, remembering the awe she felt when she stumbled into the piano room. Jiwoo’s eyes widened in excitement.

‘You did? That’s great!” she practically jumped up. “If you start painting again you better show me first,” she said with a serious look.

Jungeun laughed softly, “Okay, okay I will. By the way, do you know how to play piano?”


	2. Picture Perfect.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jungeun and Haseul warm up to each other and a deal is made.

_It curves here, no not like that. Perfect, now if only I could get the crease right._  
  
Jungeun bit her bottom lip in frustration and set her pencil down with a sigh. She stared at her sketchbook, at the drawing laid out in front of her. A slight flutter in her chest appeared when she looked at it and pictured the person she was drawing. _Haseul._   
  
It’d been a week since they met, a week since Jungeun started going through pages and pages sketching a variety of her features. From her eyes, to her nose to her perfect sharp jawline. She couldn’t get Haseul out of her mind (and her art).  
  
Most of all, she couldn't stop thinking of seeing her again. It was like a light bulb lit up in her when they first met, something that made Jungeun feel like drawing again and her fingers itch for a pencil. As she stared at her sketchbook, the deadline of her project crossed her mind. She groaned and fell backwards onto her bed, despair falling over her.  
  
The assignment was to do a portrait that captured the "essence of wistfulness". Jungeun frowned at her professor's choice of words but tried her best, truly, to do exactly that. Jiwoo wasn't exactly fit for helping her considering she was the human embodiment of sunshine and everyone else was too busy. Not to mention her art block and the fact every attempt she made seemed to fall short of what she was aiming for. She only had a week left and she was nowhere near finished.  
  
A gentle buzz came her phone on the bedside table. She reached for it with a sigh and felt her face light up as she read the message.  
  
 _Jiwooming: I owe you one for bringing me my guitar so how does free lunch sound? If you're free I'll be at the campus coffee shop with Haseul!!_  
  
Jungeun blinked at her screen and considered her options. Sulk in her room and keep mindlessly drawing or go see some friends and hope for inspiration?  
  
 _Like that's a hard choice._  
  
She slipped on a coat and scarf and looked back at her room as she opened the door. Her eyes rested on her sketchbook lifelessly laying on her bed. 

 

_ Should I? I should. _

 

With a sigh she reached for it and closed the door without another look back.   


* * *

Unsurprisingly, the sky was full of grey clouds, thick and looming over Jungeun as she walked into the café. The warmth that greeted her heavenly compared to the harsh cold outside.    
  
"Jungeun!" Jiwoo waved her over excitedly. Jungeun unwrapped her scarf and walked over, smiling shyly at Haseul as their eyes met and sitting next to Jiwoo.   
  
"Here I ordered you hot chocolate!" Jiwoo pushed a mug with a reindeer on it towards her. Jungeun squinted at the marshmallows on top for a second before shrugging and wrapping her hands around it.    
  
A content sigh left her lips, "I didn't think it was possible for it to get this cold."   
  
"It makes me excited for snow," Jiwoo clasped her hands together as she peered out the window.   
  
"Trust Jiwoo to always find the bright side of things," Haseul smiled into her cup as she took a sip.   
  
Jungeun stayed silent as she looked at Haseul, noting faint tinge of pink of her nose.  _ Must be from the cold, _ she smiled to herself.   
  
"What were you two up to?" Jungeun said.    
  
"Oh! We were just discussing rehearsal, the winter concert and all that."   
  
Jungeun arched a brow, "You two are in that together?"   
  
"Yeah! Haseul and I play violin," Jiwoo popped a marshmallow into her mouth.    
  
"Really? How many instruments can you play?" Jungeun looked towards Haseul. Haseul shrugged slightly at the question.    
  
"Only the piano, guitar and violin."   
  
Jungeun nearly choked on her hot chocolate, "What do you mean  _ only _ ? That's impressive." Haseul laughed softly at Jungeun's words and shrugged again.    
  
"Haseul's the humble type, she downplays her talent so much it's unbelievable," Jiwoo stuck her tongue out at Haseul playfully.    
  
"Alright, if you want to talk talent let's talk about you hitting that G5 in mixed voice effortlessly yesterday," she gave Jiwoo a pointed look. Jungeun rolled her eyes at the banter.    
  
"I don't know anything about music jargon so can you two go easy on the art major." Jiwoo let out a giggle and bumped her shoulder.    
  
"How's your project going?" she asked. Jungeun groaned internally and took a deep drink from her cup.    
  
"It's going," she grumbled.   
  
"Is it the one you were talking about last week?" Haseul rested her chin on her hand. 

  
Jungeun glanced at her and felt a strange warmth spread throughout her chest. Haseul was just looking at her, yet the way she did it made it seem as though Jungeun was the only one in the room. There was a faint twinkle in her eye, something Jungeun mentally filed away for later when she felt like drawing again.    
  
"Yeah, it's the same one," she cleared her throat after a moment.    
  
A small chime came from Jiwoo's phone and interrupted them. Jiwoo looked at her screen and quicky bit down on her lip to keep from smiling. “I'm sorry you guys, I wish I could stay longer but Sooyoung just asked if I could help her study."   
  
Jungeun felt a laugh bubble in her chest, "You're still playing tutor? Why don't you ask her out already?"   
  
Jiwoo crossed her arms, "You know it's complicated. Anyway, here. Lunch is still on me," she put down a few bills. "I'll see you later, Seulie!" she waved goodbye with a wide smile and a skip in her step.   
  
Haseul let out a small snort, "I'm glad I'm not the only one trying to push her to ask Sooyoung out."   
  
"Believe me, I've been trying for months," Jungeun rubbed at her tired eyes. Haseul gathered her hair and combed through it with her fingers, gracefully tying it into a ponytail. Jungeun raised a brow at the sight of two completely different shaped ears.    
  
Haseul noticed her stare and let out a soft laugh, "Noticed my ears?"   
  
"It's cute," Jungeun blurted out. She bit down on her tongue as soon as the words left her mouth.  _ What was that? _   
  
"That's sweet of you to say," she smiled. "That's just kind of the way they are, I don't have a cool story behind it or anything."   
  
Jungeun frowned at her response, "There doesn't always have to be. I think it still makes you… special." Haseul tilted her head at her with a faint smile.   
  
"You never finished talking about your project," she folded her hands. "What is it exactly?"   
  
"Oh, it's dumb. I have to do a portrait of someone looking sad. 'Essence of wistfulness' my professor said," she sighed and swished around the last of the hot chocolate in her cup.    
  
"Wistfulness? That's… specific."   
  
A moment later, rain began to pour against their window. Somehow, the sky had grown even darker and thick drops of rain began to pound heavily around the campus.   
  
"Damn, I didn't even bring an umbrella," Jungeun groaned.   
  
Her gaze rested on Haseul who was staring out the window towards the sky. Her lips were parted slightly, long lashes fluttering against her cheeks with each blink and the sparkle in her eyes appearing once more. She rested her chin on her hand as the rain continued to pour down outside.   
  
_ Wait, this is perfect. _   
  
As if on instinct, Jungeun reached for the sketchbook and pencil in her pocket and let her hand move without thought. Haseul watched her out of the corner of her eye and bit down on her smile.   
  
"Found some inspiration?" she said. Jungeun blinked, realizing what she was doing and felt slightly embarrassed.   
  
"I'm sorry, I forgot to ask if this was okay. Do you mind if I draw you?" she bit down on her lip anxiously.    
  
"Of course. I'm flattered actually," she smiled and stayed still.   
  
A crease formed between Jungeun's eyebrows as she looked back and forth between her drawing and Haseul. Haseul struggled to not smile every time Jungeun stuck her tongue out in focus.    
  
_ Cute _ , she thought.   
  
They didn't say much else, the ambience of the café and the sound of rain filled the silence. Jungeun paused for a moment and noticed the way Haseul's eyes were growing tired. A thought crossed her mind.   
  
"Hey, can I take a picture instead?"   
  
Haseul gazed at her mischievously, "Didn't know you admired my beauty so much." Jungeun felt an odd flutter in her chest and laughed.    
  
"As if. I just don't want to tire you out by making you pose for so long. I know you probably have better things to do."    
  
"I don't mind," she shrugged then paused for a moment as if in thought. "If you ever need a model for something I'd be more than happy to help, but only if you show me some of your work," she smiled. Jungeun stared at her for a moment before breaking out into one herself.   
  
"I will if you play something for me in return."   
  
"What that free piano show last week wasn't enough?" she teased. Jungeun felt her heart skip at the memory and held her breath.   
  
"I'd like to hear you sing," she said. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, the sound of the rain almost mute in Jungeun's ears.   
  
"If you manage to get your project in on time I'll arrange something," Haseul said softly, her gaze not leaving Jungeun's.   
  
"Deal," Jungeun smiled and pulled out her phone camera. Instantly, Haseul went back into her original pose, eyes directly staring out the window.    
  
_ Perfect _ .   



	3. Blue.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haseul and Jungeun share a few moments in the art studio.

Jungeun spent more time than necessary analyzing the picture of Haseul. Her hooded eyes, the slope of her cheekbones, every little detail she tried to memorize. It helped a lot when she actually sat down and started working on canvas, either drawing from mere memory or the picture she took.   
  
A sigh slipped past her lips as she stared at the canvas in front of her, an unfinished portrait that was due in two days. She rubbed her fingers together, the dry blue paint on her fingers beginning to bother her. Biting her bottom lip, she picked up her brush again and kept working. She felt her eyebrows pinch together as she focused on the shading, the way the light only highlighted half of Haseul's face and, of course, reflected in her eyes. That sweet sparkle in her eyes that Jungeun noticed immediately when she looked at her.   
  
There was a faint knock, one that Jungeun didn't hear until a voice followed after. "Hello?" someone called out. Jungeun blinked, suddenly snapping out of her trance and looked over her shoulder. Immediately, her face lit up.   
  
"Haseul," she smiled and stood up, grabbing a rag to clean her hands. "Sorry, I didn't hear you at first."   
  
Haseul waved off her apology with a smile, "It's okay, I know you were working. I just wanted to drop by with lunch." She raised up a brown paper bag with a smile and Jungeun felt herself smiling back.   
  
"That's really sweet of you, how'd you know I'd be here?" Jungeun asked while she cleared out a table in the studio. Haseul sat down and shrugged off her coat.   
  
"I asked Jiwoo and she said you'd be in the art studio. I got a bit lost and now I understand how you felt in the other campus," she laughed.   
  
"Our campus isn't that big, maybe we're both just bad at directions," Jungeun shrugged as she opened the bag. "Sorry for the mess by the way. The art studio looks chaotic whenever there's a big project due."   
  
"Ah, don't worry. It's got a certain... charm to it. Like you," Haseul said. Jungeun felt her ears perk up at the comment.   
  
"Like me?"   
  
Haseul gave her a coy wink before shoving a dumpling in her mouth. Jungeun rolled her eyes with a smile.   
  
"You tease."   
  
"You're just very… approachable. I don't know, you seem really sweet especially when you smile."   
  
Jungeun immediately scoffed, "That's honestly the first time anyone's said that. Usually I come off as intimidating."   
  
"That's because they don't know you," Haseul frowned.   
  
"And you do?" Jungeun smirked.   
  
There was a pause, "Well, I'd like to."   
  
Jungeun swallowed roughly and averted her gaze, quickly changing the subject.   
  
"I might need a model for some upcoming assignments, are you still willing to help?"   
  
"Of course!" Haseul smiled. "By the way, will you be going to the recital on Friday?"   
  
"Yeah, I already promised Jiwoo I would," Jungeun stretched in her seat.   
  
"Do you… have any plans after?"   
  
Jungeun stilled for a moment and looked at her, "Plans?   
  
"Well, I'm guessing you'll finish your painting by Friday when it's due and I promised I'd sing for you if you did so, why not give you a private show after the recital?"   
  
Jungeun coughed as soon as the words "private show" reached her ears. "You make it sound dirty when you phrase it like that," she laughed nervously.   
  
A blush formed on Haseul's cheeks as she realized the double meaning and giggled into her hands. "Oh God, that's not what I meant."   
  
"Still, I'd be more than happy to hang out after," Jungeun smiled. "Maybe you can teach me a thing or two about music."   
  
"Only if you teach me about art," Haseul rested her chin on her hand. Jungeun ran a hand through her hair and smiled.   
  
"Come here then," she said and stood up to walk over to the canvas. Haseul furrowed her brows in confusion and followed after her.   
  
Jungeun picked up a brush and twirled it in her fingers for a moment, silent as if in deep thought. "Here," she said finally, holding it towards Haseul. Slowly, Haseul grabbed it and looked up at Jungeun in curiosity.   
  
"Stand here," she directed Haseul to stand in front of the canvas. "Do a few strokes here but don't put a lot of pressure," she pointed at a corner of the painting.   
  
"Oh, Jungeun I was kidding. I don't want to mess anything up," Haseul quickly turned around. Jungeun shook her head with a smile.   
  
"Don't worry, Seul. There's nothing you can do that I won't be able to fix," she put a hand on her shoulder. She ignored the way her heart raced by doing that and gently turned Haseul around. "Add some blue here," Jungeun pointed. Haseul took a deep breath and followed Jungeun's instructions, her hand shaking slightly as she applied the paint.   
  
Suddenly, Jungeun's hand was on hers. She felt herself still while the sound of her heart beat in her ears. "I'll guide you," Jungeun said softly, her breath tickling Haseul's neck. Jungeun swallowed the knot in her throat and moved Haseul's hand slowly.   
  
It was quiet, yet Jungeun felt like her heart was beating loud enough for the both of them to hear. Haseul's hand felt small in hers, soft too.   
  
_God, Jungeun what are you doing?_ she gnawed at her bottom lip as she looked down at Haseul in front of her. They were close, Jungeun pressed against her back and Haseul's head directly beneath her chin.   
  
"Add a little more blue here," Jungeun said, loosening her hold yet still remaining behind her. Haseul hummed and made slow strokes, her eyebrows knit together in focus.   
  
_Cute_ , Jungeun smiled.   
  
"I think I got the hang of it now," Haseul's grinned and turned around. Jungeun felt her breath hitch as Haseul's eyes met hers, their close proximity leaving them nearly face to face. Jungeun immediately jumped backwards in surprise and stumbled over a paint bucket behind her. Haseul reached out, grabbing her arm to steady her and laughing at her clumsiness.   
  
"Falling for me already?" Haseul smirked. Jungeun lightly shoved her away and groaned at the cheesy pick up line despite the blush on her cheeks.   
  
"You're lucky I like you or I'd kick you out for that," Jungeun said and kicked the paint bucket that almost killed her. She glanced back at Haseul and felt herself split into a wide smile. "Uh, Seul? You have a bit of paint there," Jungeun gestured to her cheek. Haseul's eyes widened and she quickly touched her face, only spreading it out even more. "Oh, you poor thing. Give me a second."   
  
She couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her lips and reached for a rag. She walked over to the sink and ran a bit of water over it. When she got back to Haseul, the smear of blue had grown and spread to her forehead. "Don't laugh," Haseul frowned.   
  
"I wouldn't dare," Jungeun bit down her smile and placed her fingers on her chin, holding her still as she cleaned her face. She tried her hardest to avoid Haseul's eyes yet it was impossible when they were so close. She could feel Haseul's breath on her skin with each exhale and felt her pulse quicken at the contact. After what felt like an eternity, she got the last of the blue paint off of her.   
  
"All done," Jungeun whispered, slowly tucking a stray strand of hair behind Haseul's ear. They stayed there for a moment before awkwardly backing away and giggling.   
  
"Thanks," Haseul cleared her throat and smiled.   
  
Jungeun shrugged, "Guess I'm not the only clumsy one."   
  
Haseul gasped and shoved her lightly. Jungeun giggled and sat back down.   
  
"It was really nice having lunch with you and I wish I could stay longer, but I have to go now for rehearsal," Haseul said with a wry smile after checking her phone.   
  
"Hey, if it means more free food you can come by anytime," Jungeun leaned back in her seat.   
  
"Shameless. Not even a thank you," Haseul laughed and grabbed her bag.   
  
"Thank you, Haseul," Jungeun bowed her head dramatically and Haseul rolled her eyes. "I'm really excited for Friday," Jungeun said softly.   
  
"I am too," Haseul smiled. "I better see you there."   
  
"Wouldn't miss it. I'll even consider bringing flowers."   
  
Haseul arched a single brow, "Haven't even sang for you and you're already my biggest fan huh?"   
  
Jungeun rolled her eyes and waved her off with a smile. "See you on Friday, Seul."


	4. Interest.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A secret, a lesson and a possible realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah this is kind of a filler chapter but the good stuff is in tomorrow's update i promise

In a blink, Friday finally rolled around. Jungeun managed to finish her portrait the night before with a satisfied smile and gazed at it (Haseul) fondly before turning it in the following morning. After that, Jungeun promised Jiwoo lunch after class and hurriedly made her way to the coffee shop they always met up at.

“Dongdong!” Jiwoo waved her arms excitedly in front of the cafe and Jungeun had to fight the groan that followed every time Jiwoo called her that in public.  
  
“You seem extra happy today,” Jungeun said as she wrapped her arm around her and walked in. Jiwoo skipped over to their usual table and ordered hot chocolate for the both of them. “Did you bring my ticket for tonight?”

Jiwoo frowned at her for a second before widening her eyes, “Oh! I almost forgot about that but here.” She dug in her purse and held it out to Jungeun. She eyed it for a moment and smiled.

“Finally I can see what you’ve been practicing for the past two months.”

Jiwoo smiled, “I can’t wait for tonight. I’ve been texting Haseul about it all day and she said she’s excited to see you there too! Have you two been talking a lot lately?”

Jungeun blinked, “Uh, I guess you could say that. We’ve been having lunch together and she’s been helping me with my project.” The recollection of their lunch in the art studio made Jungeun smile, especially the memory of Haseul clumsily getting paint on her face and Jungeun having to help her. “She’s really nice,” Jungeun said.

There was a look in Jiwoo’s eyes when she said that, she stared at her peculiarly as she rested her chin on her hand. “You like her,” she said. Jungeun felt her mouth go dry.

_What?_

“What?”

Jiwoo squinted her eyes, “I saw that smile, I know what that means.” Jungeun ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath.

“We can talk about my love life the day you finally ask Sooyoung out,” she crossed her arms.

“Sh! But you _do_ admit you like her?” Jiwoo beamed. Jungeun stared at her with an arched brow.

“No, she’s nice but she’s just a friend,” she rolled her eyes at Jiwoo’s squint. “Haseul’s just been helping me with my art block and giving me inspiration and stuff, like a muse.”

“Like a _muse._ Right,” Jiwoo winked. Jungeun fidgeted in her seat and sighed in relief when their drinks finally came. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask but did you get your project in on time?”

Jungeun blew on her hot chocolate before replying, “Yeah, I turned it in this morning. I’m actually really satisfied with how it turned out.”  
  
“I’m glad! You were really struggling for a while. Who did you do the portrait on?”

Jungeun stared into her mug for a bit before reluctantly answering, “Haseul.” Jiwoo was practically vibrating in her seat at the answer and leaned forward with her head on her hands.

“Oh _really_?”

 _This is going to be a long day,_ Jungeun closed her eyes with a sigh.

* * *

 

Nighttime came faster than Jungeun expected. She checked her phone and sighed. There was still an hour to go before the show started. She weighed her options on what to do to pass the time and settled on getting some flowers for Jiwoo and Haseul.

When she reached the shop she glanced around and felt a bit intimidated by all the options. “Can I help you?” a short woman appeared behind her. Jungeun smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck as she looked around again.

“I want to gift some flowers for some friends of mine, but I’m not really sure what would be appropriate.”

“Oh, what’s the occasion, if you don’t mind me asking?” she smiled. Jungeun glanced at her name tag and furrowed her brows for a second.

_Kahei. Why does that name sound familiar?_

“It’s for a recital some music kids are holding at the university nearby, they’ll be performing,” she shoved her hands in her pocket as Kahei walked ahead of her. Kahei widened her eyes slightly and smiled.

“Oh, I know what you’re talking about! My girlfriend went to go support her friend too, maybe you know her?” she smiled and clasped her hands together. Jungeun scratched her head and shrugged.

“Maybe, who are they?”

“Do you know Sooyoung?”

Jungeun blinked, “Ha Sooyoung? She’s your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t go with her since I have to keep shop but I hope she has fun. Oh, roses are always sweet, how about these yellow ones? These ones mean friendship.”

Jungeun stood there awkwardly at a loss for words, still trying to process what she just heard. _Jiwoo’s going to be heartbroken,_ she felt her heart drop at the realization. Hesitantly, she followed Kahei and leaned into the yellow roses she pointed out, inhaling them and sighing.

“These are nice, I’ll take a bouquet of those,” she gave a tight lipped smile. It felt awkward, looking at Kahei and speaking to her as if her best friend wasn’t in love with her girlfriend. She ran a hand through her hair and glanced around again while Kahei wrapped up the roses. In the corner of her eye, she spotted roses in a pretty pink color and immediately walked towards them. “What about these? Would these be nice?” she glanced over her shoulder.

Kahei bit her lip and laughed softly, “They’d be beautiful as a gift for a girlfriend maybe, but not a friend.”

“What do you mean?” Jungeun frowned and glanced back at the flowers. They were a beautiful color and she knew Haseul would love them.

“Well, coral roses mean desire.”

_Oh._

“Oh.”

Kahei covered her mouth as she laughed and directed Jungeun to a different colored rose, “Here. These are a darker pink but they mean appreciation and gratitude.” Jungeun twirled the rose on her hand and bit the inside of her cheek.

_The coral roses are prettier… I’ll take those. Haseul won’t know the meaning of them anyway._

“I’ll take the coral ones actually.” Kahei raised a brow then proceeded to wrap another bouquet for her.

At the checkout, she handed her the two with a small smile. “Say hello to Sooyoung for me if you can?” she asked. Jungeun had nearly forgotten about the awkward love triangle and swallowed roughly.

“Of course,” she bowed with a smile and exited the shop. As soon as she stepped out she let out a deep sigh and rubbed her tired eyes. Next stop was the concert.

* * *

 

Coincidentally, she managed to end up sitting next to Sooyoung who had also brought her own her bouquet of flowers. Jungeun eyed her warily throughout the whole recital and couldn’t help feeling like she was keeping a huge secret.

The concert didn’t last more than two hours thankfully and Jungeun practically jumped out of her seat as soon as it ended, leaving a startled Sooyoung behind her. After giving Jiwoo her flowers, she waited a bit for Haseul to come out and smiled widely when she was finally in view. “You did amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever been that impressed by a violin,” Jungeun smiled and held the bouquet towards her. Haseul looked between her and the roses and laughed.

“I didn’t think you were serious about the flowers,” she brushed her hair out of her face, revealing a light blush on her cheeks. Jungeun shrugged and slipped her hands in her pocket. She glanced over Haseul’s shoulder and spotted Sooyoung hugging Jiwoo excitedly.

Suddenly she had a sour taste in her mouth.

Haseul noticed her expression and looked over her shoulder with a curious gaze. “Something wrong?” she asked. Jungeun looked back towards her and quickly shook her head.

“Nothing. Why don’t we get out of here? I’m still waiting for that solo stage you promised,” she grinned. Haseul rolled her eyes and laughed. After leaving for a moment to grab her purse she came back and slipped her arm around Jungeun’s. She felt her breath hitch as soon as she leaned into her side and prayed she couldn’t feel the way her heart was racing.

“Do you remember where the piano room is?” Haseul glanced at her.

Jungeun scratched her head and thought for a few seconds, “With a little guidance I will.” Haseul shook her head and giggled.

“You’re hopeless. Come, follow me,” she removed her arm from Jungeun’s and slipped her hands into hers. Jungeun took a shaky breath and followed after Haseul, awkwardly stumbling as Haseul dragged her along.

She prayed Haseul couldn’t tell how sweaty her hands were.

* * *

 

The piano room was a lot more daunting at night, the various other instruments casting obscure shadows across the wall and making Jungeun a little more nervous than she’d like to admit.

Haseul switched on the light and walked over to the piano in the middle of the room, sliding her hand across the sleek black top. She looked up at Jungeun with a smile, that same old twinkle was in her eyes. “Sit next to me,” she said as she sat down on the bench and lifted the keyboard cover. Warily, Jungeun sat down and cursed the way she could smell Haseul’s perfume by how close they were.

“You were really sweet showing me a thing or two about painting so let me teach you something too,” Haseul smiled.

Jungeun took a deep breath and nodded.

“Okay, show me.”

 


	5. Dazed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jungeun gets a private show and more.

It felt like electricity when her skin touched hers. Jungeun swallowed the knot in her throat as Haseul grabbed her hand and placed it over a piano key. “Don’t be nervous,” Haseul smiled. Jungeun let out a breathy laugh and tried to relax her shoulders.

“See this note here?” Haseul pointed at a white key. Jungeun leaned over slightly and nodded. “Piano notes go from A to G, see these three black notes? The A starts here,” she took Jungeun’s hand and pressed down. The sound of the note echoed in the near empty room as Jungeun pressed down once more. “Press each one up until this note,” she pointed at a black key. Jungeun tentatively pressed each note from left to right, feeling slightly nervous under Haseul’s gaze.

Haseul hid her smile under her hand at Jungeun’s slow fingers and the way Jungeun stuck her tongue out slightly when she was focused. Carefully, Haseul explained half-steps and whole steps and a few shortcuts that Jungeun quickly picked up on. Haseul smiled proudly as Jungeun played a simple melody for her and quickly wrapped her in a hug. “You’re already my best student,” she ruffled her hair. Jungeun laughed and playfully shoved her away.

“You made it easy, maybe I’ll drop art and switch majors instead,” Jungeun said. Haseul rolled her eyes.

“You better not. Who else am I gonna model for?” Haseul sighed. Jungeun laughed and stood up, stretching her arms as she walked around the piano.

  
“I’m ready for my _private show_ by the way,” she wiggled her brows as she leaned on top. Haseul closed her eyes in embarrassment and groaned.

“ _Please_ , let that go.”

“Never,” Jungeun smirked. Haseul sighed in defeat and cracked her fingers, her hands hovered over the keys and the anticipation made Jungeun all the more excited.

Slowly, her fingers glided across the keys and a soft melody began to follow after. Jungeun immediately felt transfixed, her gaze rested on Haseul and felt a familiar warmth surge within her chest. Haseul’s eyes slipped closed as she continued to play and soon she began to sing. Her voice was sweet, soft, lighter than Jungeun expected but still as perfect as she imagined.

A grin tugged at her lips the longer she watched. She studied the way Haseul’s hands moved, the way she paused to take a breath and the charming crease in between her brows. It felt surreal, how everything else fell apart and the only thing Jungeun could focus on was Haseul. Her voice was mellow and pleasing and Jungeun felt calm despite the way her heart raced in her chest. Subconsciously, Jungeun walked towards her, slowly and her gaze never leaving her.

Her heart beat louder in her ears the closer she got. Haseul was still looking down at the keys, but when Jungeun finally came close enough, their eyes meant for a split moment and Haseul’s hand faltered.

Haseul gasped as she pressed the wrong note and Jungeun blinked in surprise. “What happened?” Jungeun said. Haseul laughed softly and simply shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I just got a little nervous,” she said. Jungeun tilted her head and smiled.

“Because of me? I’m flattered.”

With a roll of her eyes, Haseul grabbed Jungeun’s arm and pulled her back down to sit next to her. Jungeun felt her mouth go dry, remembering that the last time they were this close was in the art studio. Jungeun stared at the keys, avoiding Haseul’s gaze.  “You know,” she said, “that was a really nice song but I’ve never heard it before. Who’s it from?”

Haseul bit the inside of her cheek. “I wrote it actually. It’s my song.” Jungeun let out a soft gasp and broke out into a smile.

“Really? You write songs, lyrics and all?”

For a moment Haseul remained quiet, unsure of whether she should admit her hobby. But with Jungeun looking at her with those big brown eyes she couldn’t help but smile and answer her. “I kind of want to be a singer,” she said softly, feeling a bit insecure under Jungeun’s stare.

Jungeun’s eyes widened slightly before she smiled widely. “You’d be an amazing singer,” she said. Haseul looked up at her and felt her cheeks warm hearing Jungeun’s supportive words. “The song is amazing too, I can’t believe how talented you are. I guess Jiwoo wasn’t kidding,” she laughed. Haseul shook her head and shoved her lightly.

“Stop being so sweet, I’m not the only talented one here,” she gave Jungeun a pointed look. “By the way, will I ever get to see the portrait you did? I’ve been really curious about how it turned out.”

“Ah, I’ll show you as soon as I can, I promise. I want to show it to you too.”

Haseul squinted her eyes at her for a moment then smiled. “Alright if you say so,” she leaned over to rest her head on Jungeun’s shoulder. Immediately, Jungeun’s breath hitched. She glanced down at Haseul then quickly glanced away. “Thank you for the flowers, by the way,” she said. “They were really pretty.”

“I knew you’d like them,” Jungeun smiled. Hesitantly, she brought her arm around Haseul and pushed her hair back, revealing the folded ear Jungeun found incredibly charming. As she moved to pull her arm back, Haseul grabbed it, putting it back in place around her. Jungeun’s heart practically leapt into her throat the moment Haseul touched her. Rampant thoughts circled her mind the longer she sat there with Haseul snuggled into her side. She couldn’t ignore the way her pulse quickened every time they touched, how her cheeks would heat up every time Haseul smiled or the way she felt giddy just being in Haseul’s presence.

 _Shit, maybe Jiwoo was right,_ Jungeun clenched her jaw at the realization. She hadn’t wanted to accept her feelings until she was absolutely sure but, with Haseul looking up at her with her sweet brown eyes, she was definitely sure now. “Are you alright?” Haseul’s voice was soft, nearly a whisper. Jungeun’s eyes flitted between Haseul and the piano before she spoke.

“Y-yeah, why?”

“You seem tense,” Haseul frowned.

_God, she’s cute._

“I’m okay,” she smiled, hoping Haseul would let it go. She stared at her for a few seconds and with their faces so close Jungeun couldn’t help but let her gaze fall down to her lips. Without thought, she licked her own and her breath grew heavier the longer they stayed like that.

Haseul lifted her hand to her face and brushed a thumb over her cheekbone. “Your cheeks are warm,” she whispered. Jungeun exhaled slowly, her gaze fixed on Haseul’s.

“I’m… feeling a little nervous,” her voice sounded weaker than expected.

“Why? It’s just me here.”

“Maybe that’s why,” Jungeun whispered.

There was a ghost of a smile on Haseul’s lips before she leaned in and pressed her lips to Jungeun’s cheek. “Feeling starstruck?” she spoke softly, almost directly into her ear.

  
_Oh my God._

Jungeun’s hands were balled into fists and knew at this point the blush on her cheeks was probably the same color as the roses she gave Haseul. She let out a choked laugh and immediately pulled her face back from Haseul. In a blink, both of Haseul’s hands were on the sides of her face. There was an unreadable look in her eyes and Jungeun couldn’t manage to look anywhere else but at her.

“You’re really cute when you’re flustered,” Haseul smiled and that same old sparkle was in her eye. Jungeun’s heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest at this rate. She brushed a lock of hair out of Jungeun’s face and leaned in close. Jungeun knew what was coming yet was still shocked when Haseul’s lips were on hers. Her heart hammered in her chest as Haseul’s tongue swept across her bottom lip. Her eyes fell closed and she finally unclenched her hands, bringing them up to Haseul’s head and threading her fingers through her hair. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before they both pulled away, breathless and red faced. Jungeun’s head felt like static, her thoughts practically nonexistent as she tried to process what happened.

Haseul’s licked her lips, practically in the same dazed state as Jungeun. She let out a short laugh and put a hand over her mouth. “Wait, I’m so sorry, was that okay? Did I go too far?” she asked nervously. Jungeun’s eyes widened and she frantically shook her head.

“No! I mean yes! Wait,” she ran a hand over her face and broke out into a laugh. “That was perfect,” she smiled. Haseul let out a relieved sigh and ran a hand through her hair. Jungeun blinked a few times, making sure this wasn’t a dream and Haseul was real.

Haseul kept smiling and brought a hand to Jungeun’s cheek. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while,” she said. Jungeun bit down her smile and struggled to meet Haseul’s eyes.

“I think I've been wanting that too," Jungeun whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the way that song haseul sang was let me in but the 100% live version


	6. Meaning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haseul and Jungeun clarify their relationship and an awkward run in with a familiar face leaves them both anxious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> patting myself on the back for actually reaching over 2k words this chapter. thanks for all the sweet comments by the way i appreciate them all <3

The rest of Friday night was blissful. Jungeun and Haseul spent another few hours talking to each other, sending coy looks and hesitant touches every few minutes before breaking into a fit of giggles. Haseul was sweet, charming, more than Jungeun could ever imagine. When they decided to call it a night, Jungeun felt her heart drop and tried not to frown too much. Something about Haseul made Jungeun wish she could be around her forever. Before they parted, Haseul stood on the tip of her toes and pressed a light kiss to Jungeun’s nose. With a wide smile, Jungeun kissed her forehead, “Goodnight, Seul.”

Jungeun spent the rest of the night tossing and turning in bed from the giddiness bubbling in her chest. It was impossible for her to sleep when the memory of their kiss circled her mind. Every few minutes she’d find herself breaking out into a cheesy smile or burying her face into her covers. She bit her lip and sighed. She closed her eyes and focused on trying to relax. It only lasted a few minutes before her mind drifted to Haseul and she felt another sigh leave her lips.

* * *

 

Despite the lack of sleep from the night before, Jungeun started her morning with a warm smile and a spring in her step. She felt light. She felt happy.

She spent more time than usual in the mirror, making absolute sure no hair was out of place and her makeup was perfect. When she opened her closet, she made a conscious effort to not pick out the usual clothes she wore that screamed “art student” and opted for something… cuter, simple, mature?

Jungeun frowned, realizing her wardrobe was practically full of tacky thrift store clothes. She took a deep breath and scavenged for a simple shirt and threw on some jeans after. She gave herself a quick once over in the mirror and flashed a smile. She looked well put together for once.

She bit her lip and glanced at her alarm clock.

_9 am. Maybe Haseul’s awake? We could get breakfast…_

She grabbed her phone from the bed and pulled up Haseul’s contact, hesitant to message her. They shared a kiss last night but they had never… clarified anything. Were they dating? Were they not? Jungeun didn’t want to come off as overbearing by messaging first.

A sigh left her lips as she flopped backwards into bed.

_This is ridiculous, we can just talk about it when we meet._

A moment later she sat back up with a huff and pulled out her phone again. Jungeun already felt like a lovesick fool but if anything she was going to be a _confident_ one. She sent a quick to Haseul and anxiously awaited her response.

Less than a minute later, her phone vibrated from a text.

_-Haseulie: I was hoping you’d text me :)_

_-Haseulie: Breakfast? Your treat?_

Jungeun felt a smile pull at her lips and let out a relieved sigh.

- _Jungeun: yes but nothing expensive im as poor as you_

_-Jungeun: really? you were waiting on me?_

_-Haseulie: Of course, I missed you._

To say Jungeun was gushing would’ve been an understatement. If it wasn’t for her makeup she would’ve buried her face in her pillow but settled for her hands instead. Her heart fluttered at Haseul’s words and her cheeks began to ache from smiling. She clutched her phone to her chest and fell backwards in bed, quickly texting her back.

_-Jungeun: I missed you too._

_-Jungeun: when will you be ready? i want to see you again as soon as possible_

_-Haseulie: You’re so cute I’m blushing. Give me 30 minutes? Where are we going?_

Jungeun stared at her ceiling in thought before replying.

_-Jungeun: i know a nice place off campus. i can drive us there._

Haseul took longer than usual to respond and Jungeun felt slightly worried that she overstepped.

_-Haseulie: That sounds lovely, once I’m done I’ll walk to your dorm and we’ll go together :)_

With a giddy laugh, Jungeun sent a heart to Haseul and jumped out of bed to check herself in the mirror once more.

A little over 30 minutes passed and Jungeun was growing antsy. She considered messaging Haseul again but didn’t want to rush whatever the girl was doing. Thankfully, a faint knock on the door caught Jungeun’s attention. When she opened the door, the sight of a red faced Haseul greeted her. Jungeun couldn’t help the laugh that slipped past her lips.

“Are you okay?” she let her inside.

“God, I look like a mess don’t I?” Haseul laughed and tried fixing her hair in Jungeun’s mirror. “I had to take my sister to her soccer game and I ended up doing more running around than I expected. I’m really sorry I’m late.”

Jungeun leaned against the wall and shrugged. “It’s okay. I didn’t know you had a sister.”

A wry smile graced Haseul’s face when she mentioned her. “Yeah, her name’s Yeojin. She’s a handful but a real sweetheart. I think she’d like you,” she glanced at Jungeun with a smile. Jungeun felt her cheeks warm and had to stop herself from averting her eyes.

Haseul spent a few minutes fixing herself up before they finally left. As they walked, Haseul linked her arms around Jungeun’s smoothly, as if she’d done it a hundred times before. “You look even prettier today,” Haseul hummed. Jungeun hid her satisfied smile and shrugged.

“Says you,” Jungeun patted her head with her free hand. Haseul whined and tried to pull away, only for Jungeun to pull her closer into her side and wrap her arm around her.

“Don’t pat my head! It makes me feel short,” she frowned, shrinking into her coat. Jungeun suppressed a snort and lightly squeezed her side.

“Because you _are_ short,” Jungeun stressed. Haseul crossed her arms and huffed. Jungeun felt her heart melt, incapable of handling Haseul’s cuteness. Without thought, she reached over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Better now?” Jungeun teased.

Instantly, Haseul tried to bite down her smile.“Maybe,” she shrugged, but the blush on her cheeks said otherwise.

* * *

 

“I’ve never been here before,” Haseul mused as she glanced around the restaurant. Christmas lights decorated the walls, flickering with the traditional christmas colors. There were wreaths at every booth including theirs and the faint smell of peppermint was in the air.

“It’s sort of new, I came here with Jiwoo once a month ago. It’s a lot more Christmas-y than I last remembered though,” she shrugged off her coat. Haseul’s eyes wandered around, taking in every detail with a small smile.

“It’s cute. I like it,” Haseul said as she scanned the menu.

Despite the calm atmosphere, Jungeun felt anxious, more than any other time she was alone with Haseul. Haseul glanced upwards and noticed Jungeun’s awkwardness.

“Are you alright?” Haseul asked, focusing all her attention on her. Jungeun stilled for a moment then let out a breathy laugh.

“I am. I was just curious about something and was hoping we could talk about it.”

Haseul rested her head on hand and gave Jungeun a warm smile, “What’s on your mind?”

Jungeun felt herself slowly relax under Haseul’s calm gaze. “I kept thinking about… you before I managed to sleep last night,” she admitted with a blush, “You and the kiss.”

Thankfully, Jungeun wasn’t the only one who looked flustered. Haseul glanced away for a moment before smiling at her. “You weren’t the only one.”

“Then… what did it mean exactly?”

Haseul reached over for Jungeun’s hand and brushed a thumb over the back of it before responding. “Well, I don’t know about you but I did it because I really like you, Jungeun. A lot.”

A knot formed in Jungeun’s throat as Haseul linked their fingers together. Jungeun took a deep breath and smiled widely upon hearing Haseul’s words.

“I like you too,” Jungeun managed to confess. Haseul squeezed her hand, her smile widening. “So… does this mean we’re dating?” she finally asked, praying her voice didn’t reveal how nervous she was.

There was a shine in Haseul’s eye when Jungeun asked. “Is that what you want?” Haseul’s voice was low, sweet and patient.

_God._

Jungeun was already sprung yet felt herself falling deeper with every second she spent in her orbit.

“It is,” Jungeun smiled. Haseul leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Jungeun’s lips. She cupped her cheek and brushed a thumb over her cheekbone, cherishing the way Jungeun leaned into her touch.

“Good. Now let’s eat.”

A laugh bubbled in Jungeun’s chest. “You’re ridiculous."

* * *

 

“But wait,” Jungeun laughed, “What do you mean you did it _accidentally_?”

Haseul giggled into her hands and shook her head, “I was playing around! I’d never hit Yeojin with a belt on purpose!” Jungeun squinted her eyes slightly before Haseul playfully hit her shoulder. “Don’t look at me like that! Now I feel bad again.”

Jungeun chuckled at Haseul’s pout. A bell chimed as soon as the entrance door opened, catching Jungeun’s attention. As soon as her eyes rested on the person who entered, she felt her jaw clench.

“Table for two, please,” a familiar voice met her ears. Jungeun took a deep breath as she also spotted the woman she met at the flower shop, Kahei.

Haseul frowned as she noticed Jungeun’s suddenly serious expression. She followed her gaze and perked up when she saw the others. “Oh, it’s Kahei and Sooyoung,” she smiled. Jungeun blinked in surprise and turned her attention back to Haseul.

“You know Kahei?” she lowered her voice. Haseul furrowed her brows slightly and nodded.

“Yeah, why?”

She hesitated to answer but decided to tell Haseul what she found out yesterday. “She’s Sooyoung’s girlfriend,” Jungeun whispered. Haseul tilted her head slightly and frowned.

“Oh, okay,” Haseul scratched her head. Then, realization dawned. “Wait-”

“Oh! Hi, Haseul!” Kahei’s soft voice called out. Haseul’s eyes widened slightly as she quickly glanced between Jungeun and Kahei.

Awkwardly, she stood up and gave Kahei a hug. “I didn’t notice when you came in,” Haseul smiled, though it looked a bit strained.

“Nice seeing you again,” Jungeun said.

“I remember you, did your friend like the flowers? The coral ones?”

Jungeun froze and felt Haseul’s gaze on her. She ignored it and only looked at Kahei, “Yeah, she really liked them. Thank you, again.”

“I’m glad,” she smiled and crossed her arms. “I was a little worried considering their meaning, but then again not everyone knows flower language, you know?”

Jungeun’s jaw clenched even tighter as Kahei spoke and prayed that it wasn’t Haseul’s eyes she felt boring into her. “Yeah, I guess not,” Jungeun gave a short laugh and sipped her drink. As if God finally answered Jungeun’s prayers, Sooyoung called for Kahei and she politely waved goodbye to the both of them. Jungeun sagged into her seat with a relieved sigh that turned into a groan.

There was a ghost of a smile on Haseul’s face that Jungeun noticed when she finally looked at her. “What is it?” Jungeun asked, afraid of the answer.

Haseul shrugged, her smile becoming wider as she stirred the straw in her drink. “Nothing, just… what did those flowers mean?”

_Great._

“Nothing,” she responded quickly. She sat up and leaned forward, her hands clasped together. “Besides that, you realize the issue sitting over four booths behind us right?”

Haseul ran a hand through her hair and reluctantly shook her head. “Yeah, unfortunately. How are we going to tell Jiwoo?” she worried at her lip. Jungeun winced at the thought and scratched her head.

“I really don’t know, but I’m hoping you and I can figure something out now that I’ve told you.”

Haseul’s hand linked with hers and she gave it a squeeze, “We’ll figure it out. We should probably go, though. I feel awkward staying  here with them.” Jungeun agreed with a laugh and grabbed her coat.

As they got up to walk out, Haseul slipped her hands into Jungeun’s and gave it a light squeeze. “What is it?” Jungeun glanced at her. She noticed Haseul was looking upwards and when Jungeun saw what caught her attention she felt her mouth go dry.

“Mistletoe,” Haseul smiled coyly.

Jungeun couldn’t help but smile and, despite her nervousness, leaned down to meet Haseul’s lips. It was soft, slow and more smiling than kissing. Before Jungeun pulled away, Haseul gave a quick peck to her nose and Jungeun swore she had never felt this soft in her whole life.

As her and Haseul locked eyes, only one thought crossed her mind.

_I could get used to this._


	7. Thin Ice.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haseul and Jungeun spend some sweet time together before dealing with a messy situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay this is a filler chapter before the drama starts but its fluff so you cant complain

Even with the amount of assignments building up before winter break, Jungeun and Haseul still tried finding ways to see each other. When they could, they exchanged quick kisses and spent most of their time together wrapped in each other’s arms.

“How’s my favorite artist handling this week?” Haseul linked her arms around Jungeun’s neck and pressed a kiss to her nose. Jungeun smiled and placed one on her forehead.

  
“I’m dying, but these little visits make it worth it,” she said and tightened her grip around Haseul’s waist. “You make it worth it.”

Haseul grimaced at Jungeun’s cheesiness yet smiled nonetheless, burying her face into her warm chest and sighing contently. “Hey, tomorrow’s the start of winter break. Have any plans?”

Jungeun hummed, looking down at Haseul in thought. “Other than spending the day with you? Nope.”

“Stop being so sweet,” Haseul rolled her eyes. “Are we uh, gonna do gifts for each other?” Haseul asked softly. Jungeun tilted her head, confused by Haseul’s hesitance.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t already have something planned,” Jungeun smiled. Haseul looked up at her in surprise.

“Really?”

“Yeah, are you surprised?”

Haseul shrugged slightly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “No, I’m relieved actually. I’ve been putting something together too.” Jungeun perked up at that and smiled.

  
“Oh, _really_?”

“Don’t look at me like that, I’m not gonna tell you,” Haseul gave her a pointed look. Jungeun chuckled and pulled away to link their hands together. She walked forward, urging Haseul to follow along as she led them through the park.

“Wait, where are we going?” Haseul said and Jungeun glanced back at her with a small smile.

“This isn’t your present, but I had something planned today for the both of us. I think you’ll like it.”

Despite Jungeun’s answer, Haseul was still left confused.

* * *

Eventually, Jungeun led them down some stone steps and Haseul frowned, looking around and recognizing the area. “Isn’t this where the pond is?” she said, her breath turning to white mist in front of her. Haseul’s question was met with silence as her eyes rested on a large patch of ice surrounded by wilting trees and noticed a few people on skates gliding around.

Jungeun felt her heart warm when Haseul broke into a wide smile. “Are you any good at ice skating?” Jungeun asked as she approached a booth and handed over two tickets. Haseul crossed her arms and laughed.

“I guess people aren’t lying when they call artists romantics.”

With a snort, Jungeun grabbed a pair of skates and handed them to Haseul. “I’m not, I just really like you.”

They walked down to the edge of the rink and put on their skates. Jungeun leaned down to tie the laces on Haseul’s after she noticed her struggling to stand still.

“Ready?” Jungeun smiled, her hand on Haseul’s shoulder. Haseul bit the inside of her cheek.

“I’ve honestly never gone ice skating,” she admitted with a light laugh. There was already a light blush on her cheeks from the cold and Jungeun felt a tug on her heart.

_Cute._

“Don’t worry. Hold my hand and just follow my lead,” Jungeun smiled. Haseul anxiously glanced between her and the ice. Slowly, she gave in and grabbed it. Jungeun’s grip was soft and despite the chill of winter surrounding them, Haseul felt warm from just her touch. They moved slowly as Jungeun guided her, smiling at the way Haseul wobbled on the ice. “You’re doing good,” she tried to cheer her on. Haseul glanced at her with a skeptical look and tried keeping steady.

Soon enough, with Jungeun’s help, she got the hang of it and started to pick up the pace. “That’s my girl,” Jungeun grinned. Haseul felt her cheeks flush at Jungeun’s praise and squeezed her hand. They glided together on the ice, though Haseul still trailed behind Jungeun.

Slowly, Jungeun let go of her hand and Haseul hadn’t noticed. She felt a proud smile on her face as she watched Haseul skate by her. Haseul glanced behind her and widened her eyes after realizing she was by herself. “Hey!” she laughed and skated towards Jungeun. Jungeun smiled and tried moving back but ended up wobbling and falling backwards with a groan.

“What’s with you and falling over?” Haseul laughed, breathless and holding her hand out. Jungeun rolled her eyes playfully and grabbed on, tugging forward and bringing Haseul down to her with a yelp. “Jungeun!” she yelled.

After landing on top of her, the two of them broke into a fit of laughter. “You’re a lot heavier than you look,” Jungeun dramatically clutched her chest.

“You’re annoying,” Haseul scoffed and hit her shoulder.

“Ow!” Jungeun giggled and got up, helping Haseul right after. “I couldn’t look like the only clumsy one, I have a reputation to keep.”

“Wait until I expose the real Miss Kim Jungeun to the world. Then you’ll be sorry,” Haseul squinted. Jungeun’s cheeks ached from smiling so much. No matter what, she couldn’t take Haseul’s threats seriously.

“I feel like I’m being threatened by a puppy,” she chuckled. Haseul gasped and reached for Jungeun, only for her to skate away and laugh as Haseul struggled to catch her.

* * *

“Am I forgiven?” Jungeun smiled as Haseul snuggled into her chest. After an hour of harassing each other on the ice, the two tapped out and decided to go back to Jungeun’s dorm and warm up. Jungeun warmed up hot chocolate for her as an apology which reluctantly got Haseul into her arms as they cuddled on the couch.

Haseul looked up at her, uncharacteristically serious and straight faced. For a moment, Jungeun thought she was genuinely upset. There was a moment of silence before Haseul spoke. “You’re… on _thin ice_ ,” she deadpanned.

Jungeun fell silent as a wave of embarrassment washed over her and pinched the bridge of her nose with a groan. Haseul’s serious facade fell apart within a second after and hid her face in Jungeun’s chest, giggling uncontrollably.

“You did not just…”

“It was a good joke!”

“More like _horrible_ ,” Jungeun ran a hand over her face. Haseul pressed a kiss to her nose and smiled.

“There. An apology kiss,” she said. Jungeun laughed and cupped Haseul’s cheek, brushing a thumb over it.

“If making dumb jokes means I get an apology kiss right after then keep doing it.”

Haseul rolled her eyes and laid her head back down on her chest, enjoying the warmth. “You made this day really nice, thank you.”

“Anything for my girlfriend,” Jungeun said. The word still felt foreign to her but she wanted to say it as often as possible, mostly to get used to it and to remind herself that Haseul was actually _hers._

A comfortable silence fell over them and Jungeun’s eyes began to slowly slip closed. Haseul’s faint breathing was lulling her to sleep. That was until a chime from her phone startled her. Haseul remained relaxed on her chest which Jungeun was thankful for. She reached for her phone in her pocket and noticed a text from Jiwoo. Her jaw clenched and she closed her eyes shut as she remembered what she still had yet to do.

_-Jiwooming: i made this as a gift for sooyoung!! do you think she’ll like it?_

_[Image Attached]_

Jungeun squinted, her sleep addled brain struggling to make sense of the picture before she realized it was a CD. A whole album by Jiwoo. To Sooyoung.

_Shit._

Jungeun stared at her phone in panic, unsure of what to do. She glanced at Haseul and lightly tapped her shoulder. “Seul,” she whispered. “Haseul.”

Haseul lifted her head, rubbing her eyes and yawning. “Yes, love?” Jungeun couldn’t even fawn over how cute half-asleep Haseul with the Jiwoo situation growing messier.

“Uh, look at this,” she handed Haseul the phone. She squinted at it the same way Jungeun did and blinked in surprise.

“Oh no,” she said.

“We gotta do something, Seul. Soon.”

Haseul bit her lip in thought and sighed. “Let’s meet up together then,” she grabbed her hand. Jungeun looked at their intertwined fingers and smiled before a realization dawned on her.

“Wait, I haven’t told her about us yet.”

Haseul stared at her blankly before closing her eyes and sighing again. “A great start to winter break.”


	8. Stupid Cupid.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jungeun comforts a friend and Christmas nears closer.

Jungeun anxiously eyed the clock on her phone as she waited for Jiwoo to arrive. Jungeun and Haseul decided to break the news to her somewhere private, like Jungeun’s dorm. 

“Are you sure I should stay?” Haseul bit her lip in worry. Jungeun reached over and squeezed her hand in reassurance.

“Honestly, I need you here for me more than Jiwoo. She’s going to be heartbroken and I don’t think I’ll be able to handle seeing it.”

Haseul frowned and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Whatever happens don’t blame yourself okay?” she gently brushed a thumb over cheek. Jungeun felt warm from the touch and couldn’t help but smile.

“I’ll try,” she sighed. “Honestly, Jiwoo’s too sweet for her own good. She made a whole album dedicated to Sooyoung.” The thought alone made her grimace. “Can you imagine how in love she must be to do that?” Jungeun looked at Haseul. Haseul grew quite and stared off into the carpet, a frown setting onto her face. 

“At least Kahei’s a sweet girl,” Haseul sighed and brought her knees to her chest. Jungeun tilted her head and a realization came to mind.

“Wait, you never explained how you knew her.” Haseul stilled for a moment and let out a breathy laugh before awkwardly clearing her throat. 

“We went to high school together,” she said. Jungeun arched a brow. 

“That’s it?”

“We kind of dated.”

_ Oh. _

_ “ _ Oh.”

“Don’t tell me you’re jealous,” Haseul frowned. Jungeun would be lying if she didn’t feel a  _ tinge  _ of jealousy. She had to have known Haseul had past relationships. She was, after all, incredibly pretty and talented. Yet Jungeun was lucky enough for someone like Haseul to choose  _ her  _ of all people. She fell for  _ her  _ and she couldn’t be anymore grateful. Jungeun met her eyes for a moment and smiled.

“Not really,” she said. “After all, you’re  _ mine  _ now,” she leaned over and softly pressed their lips together. Haseul smiled into the kiss and pushed her hair back, cupping her face with both her hands. 

“I like it when you say that,” she leaned her forehead against hers. Jungeun smiled, something she couldn’t stop doing whenever Haseul was around. 

“Say what? That you’re mine? My girlfriend? My  _ muse _ ?” Jungeun teased and peppered kisses all over Haseul’s face. Haseul giggled as she struggled to get out of Jungeun’s embrace. Jungeun tightened her grip around Haseul as she continued relentlessly teasing her. 

There was a sudden knock on the door that startled them both. In a blink, Haseul jumped away from Jungeun on the couch and quickly rushed to fix her hair in the bathroom, praying that her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. 

“Jungeun! I’m here!” Jiwoo’s voice chimed from outside the door. Jungeun closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As soon as she opened the door she felt her heart clench. Jiwoo stood there with that same old bright smile on her face and Jungeun already felt defeated. 

_ Shit.  _

“Jungeun?” she said, tilting her head. Jungeun shook her head and realized she’d been staring for a minute. 

“Sorry, come in,” she smiled nervously. Jiwoo walked in and set her bag on the coffee table before stretching and letting out a tired sigh. 

“I’ve been so busy Christmas shopping today, you wouldn’t believe how hard it was picking out a gift for you,” she smiled. Jungeun returned it, albeit a little awkwardly and sat down next to her. Jiwoo frowned at the distance between them and moved closer. “Is something wrong? Why’d you call me here?”

Jungeun swallowed the knot in her throat and practically looked at everything  _ but  _ Jiwoo. She glanced at the bathroom door and silently prayed for Haseul to walk out soon. 

“Well, uh, I had something to tell you about-”

“Oh! Hi, Haseul!” Jiwoo jumped up. Jungeun inhaled sharply and glanced up at Haseul who looked as anxious as her. 

Haseul hugged her before taking a seat on the couch beside her, Jiwoo in between the both of them. Jiwoo frowned for a moment looking back and forth at Jungeun and Haseul before squealing in delight. “Jungeun!” she gasped, hands clasped together. Jungeun and Haseul exchanged confused looks before Jiwoo threw her arms around her. 

“I’m so happy for you two!” Jiwoo exclaimed, her arms practically suffocating Jungeun. 

“W-what?” she stammered.

Jiwoo pulled away with a wide grin and a gleam in her eyes. “You and Haseul! You’re dating aren’t you? That’s what you called to tell me?” 

There was a pause as Haseul and Jungeun glanced at each other in panic. To Jungeun’s relief, Haseul decided to speak up. “Well, yeah,” she smiled and let out a soft laugh. “We did want to tell you that but there’s also something else important we’ve been meaning to tell you.” 

“Don’t tell me you’re getting married.”

Jungeun choked on her saliva and doubled over coughing while Haseul quickly dismissed the idea. “No, no, no, no, no,” she shook her hands hands and glanced at Jungeun. Jiwoo was gazing curiously at Haseul despite the mess Jungeun was making of herself. 

“I know that you’ve really liked Sooyoung for a while now,” Haseul started off slowly, hoping to break the news as softly as possible. “But, Jungeun and I found out something the other day and we’ve been trying to find an easy way to tell you.”

Jiwoo’s expression grew serious upon hearing Haseul’s words. Haseul bit her lip and glanced at Jungeun for help. Jungeun took the hint and placed her hand on Jiwoo’s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “Sooyoung has a girlfriend,” Jungeun said. 

The room grew quiet after the words left her mouth and the anxiety in Jungeun’s chest only spread the longer Jiwoo stayed silent. Haseul’s jaw was clenched tight as she focused solely on Jiwoo. “Jiwoo?” she whispered gently. Her only response was a small sniffle, but it was still enough to break Jungeun’s heart. 

“Oh, Jiwoo,” she sighed and wrapped her arms around her, knowing full well what would come. Years of friendship taught her that a single sniffle would lead to a whole sea of tears a minute later. Jiwoo leaned into her chest without a word but Jungeun knew she’d speak when she was ready. Haseul’s concerned expression comforted her slightly, knowing that she wasn’t alone in this. She reached over and grabbed Haseul’s hand, quietly mouthing “thank you” before pulling away and stroking the back of Jiwoo’s head. 

They stayed like that for a while before Jungeun eventually lost track of time and Jiwoo fell asleep in her arms.

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? I don’t mind,” Haseul frowned and glanced over Jungeun’s shoulder to Jiwoo’s sleeping forn on the couch. Jungeun wrapped Haseul’s scarf around her neck before pulling her in for a kiss. Haseul crinkled her nose and let out a soft laugh.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be okay and so will I. Thank you a lot for being here today, I seriously appreciate it.”

“Anything for you,” she leaned forward to kiss her nose. 

“Why do you always kiss my nose?”

“It’s a cute nose,” Haseul smiled. Jungeun squinted at her before taking a finger and lightly tapping Haseul’s nose. 

“Did you just  _ boop  _ my nose?”

“It’s a cute nose,” Jungeun smirked. 

Haseul rolled her eyes and gave Jungeun a quick kiss goodbye. “Text me later,” she whispered before opening the door and walking out. Jungeun shut it after her and leaned against it with a sigh before closing her eyes. 

“Jungeun?” a soft voice called out and Jungeun quickly snapped her attention back to the couch. Jiwoo’s sleepy expression and red rimmed eyes tugged at her heart. 

“I’m here,” Jungeun whispered as she sat down. Jiwoo said nothing and curled into her side, sighing when Jungeun’s fingers started combing through her hair. “How do you feel?”

Her question was met with silence which didn't surprise her. After a few moments, Jiwoo finally spoke. 

“How’d you find out?” her voice was soft, a big contrast from her usual loud and happy sound. 

Jungeun leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling. “On the day of the recital, when I stopped to buy you flowers. I ran into her girlfriend, Kahei. When I mentioned the recital she said her girlfriend Sooyoung was going to, uh, support a friend too.” She felt Jiwoo shift in her lap followed by a shaky sigh. 

“I know it must have been hard to tell me that,”Jiwoo said. “You and Haseul.”

“I know it must have been harder to  _ hear _ that,” Jungeun sighed. “I’m here for you though. Anything you need I’ll give,” she squeezed her shoulder. Even though Jungeun couldn’t see her face, Jiwoo smiled gratefully. 

“Thank you,” Jiwoo whispered. A moment later she lifted her head and glanced at her purse. “Can you hand that to me?” she said. Jungeun leaned over and grabbed it, passing it to Jiwoo. Jiwoo sat up with a sigh and reached inside, pulling out a familiar CD case. Jungeun swallowed roughly and glanced at Jiwoo who had a pensive look on her face. 

“What do I do with this?” she looked at Jungeun.

“Ah,” Jungeun scratched her head and took the case. She took a second to examine the cover and frowned at the drawing of a bow and hearts. “Wait,” she said. “Isn’t this the thing you asked me to draw like a month ago?” she glanced at Jiwoo and pointed at the cover art. Bashfully, Jiwoo looked away and smiled. 

“Maybe,” she bit her lip. “I’ve had this planned for a while. Sooyoung always said she liked the idea of Cupid’s bow.”

Jungeun frowned and wrapped an arm around Jiwoo, pulling her closer into her side. “Oh, Jiwooming,” she sighed. “We’ll figure it out later.”

Jiwoo giggled softly, “You called me ‘Jiwooming’.”

“It’s cuter than ‘Dongdong’ that’s for sure.”

“Hey!”

Jungeun smiled and felt relieved to hear Jiwoo laughing again. They fell into a quiet lull until Jiwoo cleared her throat. “So…” she said. “You and Haseul, hm?”

“Alright, I’m going to bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not sure when the next update will be this week but expect christmas fluff


	9. Grateful.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas, fluff and some drama.

A few days passed since Jungeun’s confession to Jiwoo and, despite the heartache, she still managed to smile and laugh with her. Jungeun wasn’t the best at expressing her emotions through words but she did know she admired Jiwoo like no one else. She was bright, sweet and caring and Jungeun knew she’d bounce back from this eventually. 

Despite that, Jungeun was still hesitant to leave her (and Haseul) to go visit family for the weekend. “I’ll be back by Christmas day at least,” Jungeun sighed as she spoke to Haseul over the phone. She was in her old bedroom, untouched as the day she left for college thanks to her parents. It was a sweet comfort to have something from her old life and someone from her new life with her. 

“You’ve been gone for two days and I already miss you,” Haseul pouted, her face half buried by her blanket. She had been sleeping in every day, taking advantage of her free time during break. Even though that meant they didn’t talk much in the morning, Jungeun didn’t mind, mostly because she had been able to answer video calls from a  _ very  _ adorable half asleep Haseul.

“I know, Seul, I miss you too,” Jungeun sighed. 

“Turn on your camera I want to see your face.” Jungeun groaned and buried her face into her pillow. 

“I look like a mess, I just spent the past three hours mingling with relatives I don’t even  _ remember _ .”

Haseul laughed and Jungeun couldn’t help but smile at the sound. “Come on, I miss you.  _ Dongdong _ ,” she whined. Jungeun groaned louder into her pillow from embarrassment even though there a slight flutter in her chest from hearing Haseul call her that. 

“Fine,” after a minute she sat up with a huff and quickly fixed her hair, combing through her bangs until she was satisfied. She turned her camera on and flashed a quick smile. 

“Hi, pretty,” Haseul smiled and Jungeun felt her cheeks flush. Jungeun slipped under the covers of her bed and the two ended up talking for a bit, from what’d they do when Jungeun got back to Haseul inviting her to a friend’s Christmas party. 

“Are you going to pull another mistletoe trick on me?” Jungeun smirked. Haseul rolled her eyes and snuggled deeper into her blanket. 

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t like it.”

There was a pause before Jungeun broke out into a wide smile. “I miss your singing,” she said.

“And I miss you doodling all over my music notes but, guess we’ll both just suffer for now,” Haseul smiled. Jungeun groaned and closed her eyes for a second. 

“Are you gonna make me ask?”

“Ask what?”

Jungeun pursed her lips, already used to Haseul’s coyness. “Can you  _ please  _ sing for me?” she sighed. Haseul bit down her smile. 

“Ah, was that so hard?” Haseul giggled at Jungeun’s frown. She cleared her throat and hummed for a few seconds. It was already enough to satisfy Jungeun until Haseul began to sing, soft and quiet for her and her alone. Jungeun felt herself smiling at her phone like an idiot and sighed in content. Her voice was still as melodic as the day the first met. 

Soon, Jungeun felt herself lulled to sleep, her eyes slipping closed and the faint sound of Haseul’s sweet voice in her ears.

* * *

“You can let go now, Haseul,” Jungeun chuckled. Haseul’s head rested against her chest and her arms were wrapped firmly around Jungeun’s waist. They’d been like this for a minute once Jungeun called her over upon coming back.

“Just a few more seconds,” she mumbled. Jungeun smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead, happy to be back in her arms too. 

Haseul pulled away finally with a small smile on her lips. There was a comfortable silence between them as they exchanged quick kisses here and there and smiled at each other. It was sickeningly sweet if Jungeun had anything to say about it, but it was Haseul so she didn’t mind. “You still wanna go to the party later?” Haseul looked up at her. 

“Yeah, I’ll need a minute to pick up your gift though.” 

Haseul tilted her head, eyes narrowed. “Picked up, hm?”

“Wait until later,” Jungeun flashed an innocent smile. Haseul clicked her tongue and let it go.

“Whatever it is, I know it’ll be perfect because it’s from you. I just hope you’ll like mine,” she bit her lower lip. Jungeun brushed a few strands of hair from Haseul’s face and tucked them behind her folded ear. 

“I’ll just use your own words against you and say I know it’ll be perfect.”

Haseul rolled her eyes and pulled herself from Jungeun’s arms. “You’re too sweet to me,” she said.

“Well, someone has to be,” Jungeun smiled as she began to unpack her suitcase. “Funny how a few weeks ago I just knew you as Jiwoo’s pretty friend, now you’re here.”

A laugh bubbled in Haseul’s chest as she crossed her arms. “You thought I was pretty?”

There was a pause before Jungeun’s answer. “Ah, well, yeah. I thought you were really… enchanting and it helped me a lot in climbing out of my art block. You were fun to draw.”

Haseul had a curious look in her eyes as she listened to Jungeun. There was a faint smile on her face as well. “I have to admit, I thought you were pretty cute too.”

“Really?” Jungeun paused. 

“Of course. You kind of… helped me creatively too.”

A blush formed on Jungeun’s cheeks upon hearing her words. She was flattered, more than she’d ever admit, that Haseul had thought of her like that from the start. 

“I’m glad,” Jungeun said, her voice had grown softer. “Jiwoo always said I needed to find a muse to get my creative flow going and you kind of unintentionally became that.”

“Aw,” Haseul rested her hand over her chest. “Is that why you called me your muse? I thought you were just being a corny flirt.”

Jungeun barked out a laugh and threw a shirt at Haseul who squealed. “Wow,” she shook her head. “Last time I ever say that then.”

“No,” Haseul pouted and walked behind Jungeun to wrap her arms around her. “It’s cute, I like it.”

“You just said it was corny!”

“Yeah, but it’s still from you and I love everything you say.”

“I’d say the same but your bad jokes kind of ruin that,” Jungeun snorted.

“Hey!” Haseul smacked her shoulder. 

“Ow!’

* * *

The party Haseul dragged her to was thrown by her friend. Hyunjin or Heejin, she couldn’t remember which one. It was a small Christmas party at her apartment, mainly full of Haseul’s friends and people she wanted to introduce Jungeun to. 

“I think Heejin will like you,” Haseul smiled. She linked their arms together as they walked towards the apartment side by side.

“She’s the nicer one right?”

Haseul giggled softly and nodded. “Hyunjin isn’t mean but she might be a little awkward. She’s just a bit protective of me.”

A fond smile graced Haseul’s lips at the mention of it. “I’m glad you have good friends like that. My other friends, Yerim and Jinsol, are kind of the opposite.”

“They aren’t good? What do you mean?”

“Oh, they are. I just mean they’re a bit… pushy and eager to get me  _ out _ there to try new things and all. You should’ve seen them when I told them I got a girlfriend,” Jungeun chuckled. 

There was a moment of silence before Haseul spoke. “You told them about me?” she smiled. 

“Of course I did,” Jungeun smiled and squeezed her hand. 

After a few minutes, they finally made their way to Hyunjin’s place and were greeted with eager smiles and hugs. “Seul!” Heejin wrapped Haseul in a tight hug and smiled. “You got even prettier,” she gave her a once over and Haseul visibly grew shy. 

“Ah, stop,” she blushed before turning her attention to Jungeun. “Oh, this is Jungeun. My girlfriend.” 

_ God, she called me her girlfriend. _

Jungeun immediately felt her pulse race. If she were being honest, it still made her flustered to hear Haseul call  _ her  _ that. It still seemed so surreal to think that she was actually dating someone like Jo Haseul. 

Jungeun tried to put on a warm smile and greeted Heejin, feeling nervous in the presence of all of Haseul’s friends. 

“She’s stiff as a board,” a voice called out from behind them. Heejin glanced behind her and rolled her eyes. 

Heejin shot an apologetic look at Jungeun as Hyunjin approached them. “Be nice,” Heejin elbowed her. Hyunjin’s face scrunched up in pain and stuck her tongue out at her. 

“Sorry, I’m Hyunjin,” she smiled and Jungeun felt herself ease up slightly. 

“You guys are embarrassing,” Haseul laughed and led them into the living room where everyone else was. After a few minutes of greeting everyone, Jungeun managed to learn everyone’s name but still clung to Haseul. There were a few other girls, Hyejoo and Chaewon but Jungeun had only managed awkward small talk before going back to her side.

“It’s cute seeing you look so nervous, you get clingy,” Haseul whispered into her ear while they were in the kitchen. Jungeun rolled her eyes with a small smile. 

“I just feel better with you around.”

Haseul couldn’t help her smile and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. Jungeun smiled and cupped Haseul’s cheek, pulling her close and closing their lips together in a slow kiss. Haseul hummed and leaned into her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her palm then turning her attention back to Jungeun’s lips. Unconsciously, Jungeun had backed Haseul up against the counter and had nearly forgotten where they were. Nearly, since someone walked in on them a moment later.

“Oh, God,” a voice interrupted them. 

_ Shit. _

Haseul’s gaze snapped towards the doorway and an immediate blush began to spread across her cheeks reaching up to the tips of her ears. Jungeun closed her eyes tight in embarrassment and rested her head on Haseul’s shoulder with a pained smile.

“Sorry, Hyunjin,” Haseul laughed into her hands and buried her face in them. Jungeun couldn’t help the small laugh that slipped past her lips as well and lifted her head, knowing her face was as red as it was warm.

“I’m just glad I didn’t walk in on anything worse,” Hyunjin muttered as she grabbed a drink from the fridge and left without another word. Jungeun sighed and ran a hand over her face.

“I feel like I just got caught by your dad,” she groaned. Haseul giggled and swatted her shoulder. 

“You’re fine, don’t worry. Hyunjin’s just dramatic,” Haseul smiled. “On another note, we will finish where we left off later.”

Jungeun blinked and arched a single brow. “Oh?’

Before Haseul could say anything else, a pair of new voices coming from the living room caught their attention. Jungeun furrowed her brows, trying to pinpoint why they sounded familiar. 

The two of them walked out of the kitchen to see what was up and Jungeun immediately felt her chest tighten. “Sooyoung,” Jungeun blurted in surprise. Kahei was behind her as well. 

Sooyoung turned to her and immediately flashed a smile. “Jungeun! I didn’t know you’d be here.” 

Jungeun glanced towards Haseul who seemed just as lost as her. “Uh, I didn’t know you’d be here either,” Haseul chimed in. Heejin glanced curiously between the two, confused at the sudden awkwardness in the air. 

“Yeah, Heejin invited me. Is Jiwoo not with you?” Sooyoung looked at Jungeun. 

She felt a knot form in her throat and quickly tried clearing it before speaking. “No, no. She’s at her parents for the holidays.”

After a few minutes of small talk and catching up Sooyoung started talking to Chaewon and Hyejoo, giving Jungeun a break to catch her breath. “God,” Jungeun rubbed her eyes. There was a slight frown on Haseul’s face. 

“You should talk to her,” she said. Jungeun stilled and shot Haseul an incredulous look. 

“What? Why?”

“Honestly, we don’t even know if she was really leading Jiwoo on,” Haseul sighed and rested a finger on her chin. “And I really don’t want to keep having these really awkward run ins.”

“I get that,” Jungeun bit her lip in thought. Haseul had a point about them not knowing the full story. 

Jiwoo hadn’t even spoken to Sooyoung in days but she knew Jiwoo missed her more than she was willing to admit. Even if they couldn’t be together, Jiwoo still had a good friend in Sooyoung and Jungeun wanted her to at least keep that. 

With a sigh, Jungeun pushed herself off the kitchen counter and cleared her throat. “I’m gonna go talk to Sooyoung,” she said. Haseul grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to it. 

“Good luck.”

Jungeun tapped Sooyoung on the shoulder, drawing her attention from the conversation she was having with Chaewon. “Can we talk?” Jungeun said quietly and nodded towards the kitchen. Sooyoung gave her a curious look and nodded. 

“What’d you want to talk about?” Sooyoung crossed her arms as they entered. Jungeun tried her best not to let her nerves get to her and took a deep breath. 

“It’s about Jiwoo,” she said. Sooyoung furrowed her brows and leaned against the counter.

“Jiwoo? Is she okay?”

“She is, well, sort of,” Jungeun ran a hand through her hair, struggling to find the right words. Sooyoung only grew more confused at her vague answer.

“She hasn’t been answering my messages or calls lately, which is weird since she always responds a second later. Did I do something wrong?”

Jungeun pursed her lips. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I have to ask, Sooyoung, were you leading her on?”

Silence fell over them as Sooyoung processed her question. “What?” she furrowed her brows.

“Were you leading Jiwoo on? Because she really liked you, Sooyoung.”

Their eyes locked for a few moments as Jungeun waited for her answer. “She liked me?” she asked quietly. 

“Until she found out you had a girlfriend, which you never mentioned.”

Sooyoung ran a hand over her face and through her hair with a sigh. “Shit,” she whispered. “Jungeun, honestly, I wasn’t trying to lead her on. She’s a really sweet friend and I honestly thought she just saw me as the same. I’d never do that to Kahei.”

Jungeun sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, unsure of what else to say. “She’s pretty heartbroken,” she said softly. Sooyoung’s frown deepened and Jungeun started to find her concern genuine.

“Can you get her to talk to me? I don’t want her to keep avoiding me,” Sooyoung bit her lip.

“I will but it all depends on when she’s ready. I’m relieved to hear you weren’t playing around with her, seriously.” 

“I’d never,” Sooyoung said firmly. A few minutes later, the two of them exited the kitchen to meet up with the other and Haseul’s expectant gaze met Jungeun’s. 

Despite the high tension from earlier, the rest of the night went smoothly. Jungeun even managed to warm up to Haseul’s friends and joked around with Sooyoung. Although they had a nice time, Jungeun asked Haseul if they could leave early. “I have your gift at my place,” she said. After hearing that, Haseul seemed a little too eager to leave.

* * *

“Slow down,” Jungeun giggled as Haseul dragged her to her dorm. Jungeun fumbled with the keys to the door much to Haseul’s frustration and snorted and snorted at the small frown on her face. “There,” Jungeun said as she opened the door. 

A yawn slipped past Haseul’s lips as she entered and shrugged her coat off. “I just realized how tired I am,” Haseul rubbed her eyes. A thought crossed Jungeun’s mind and she bit her lip, unsure of whether or not she should say it. 

_ Should I? Would that be okay? Come on, Jungeun. _

“Do you, uh, want to stay the night?” Jungeun asked. Haseul turned her gaze to Jungeun’s in surprise, looking slightly more awake.

“I’d like that,” she said with a smile. Jungeun let out a relieved breath and eagerly returned the smile. 

“I would too.”

A moment later, she grabbed Haseul’s hand and sat her down on the couch, excitedly signaling her to wait a moment as she went to her room to get her gift. “Close your eyes!” Jungeun shouted from the room. With a small laugh, Haseul did that and patiently waited for her. 

“Okay, you can open them now,” Jungeun said. Haseul’s eyes slowly opened and once she registered what Jungeun had in front of her a gasp left her mouth. “You like it?” Jungeun grinned.

“Jungeun…” Haseul whispered as she examined the painting it front of her. She had completely forgotten about the portrait she did on her, figuring she’d never get to actually see it. But not only was Jungeun showing it to her, she was  _ gifting  _ it to her. 

Haseul reached out towards the painting, fingers brushing against the canvas and feeling the texture. There Haseul was, in the painting staring out the window. The rain was barely visible against the window but the various blues still made it stand out. Haseul covered her mouth when she realized Jungeun had even captured her folded ear and the moles that were spread out across her face. “Oh, Jungeun,” she laughed and covered her mouth. Jungeun fondly watched her reaction and pulled her in for a hug the minute she noticed tears welling up in her eyes. 

Jungeun pressed a kiss to her forehead and chuckled when Haseul brought her down for a real kiss, this time eager and passionate. Jungeun was breathless when they finally pulled away. “You’re such a sweetheart,” Haseul smiled as she pressed their foreheads together. Jungeun laughed and set the painting aside, pulling something else out. It was a black sketchbook with a bright red ribbon tied around. 

“Here,” Jungeun handed it to Haseul. “There’s a lot of drawings of you in there, it’s kind of embarrassing how many there are but I thought you’d like it.”

Haseul brushed her fingers over the cover with a smile and hugged it to her chest. “I hope you know these are the sweetest gifts I’ve ever gotten.”

She felt her heart tug in her chest at Haseul’s words and grew warm. “You’re just saying that to get more free art out of me,” Jungeun playfully rolled her eyes. Haseul scoffed and smacked her lightly with the sketchbook. 

“Your gift is in my purse by the way,” Haseul smiled. Jungeun’s eyes widened and she immediately moved to grab it. After a moment of digging around, she pulled out something square in gift wrap. 

“Is this it?” Jungeun examined it and Haseul nodded. Jungeun walked back over to Haseul and carefully undid the wrapping, smiling at the way it was neat and obviously done with care. 

Once it was all off, a small gasp left Jungeun’s lips. “Don’t tell me this is what I think it is,” Jungeun said as she flipped the case around. Haseul smiled widely and nodded. 

“A CD of songs by me? Yeah, it is. Jiwoo gave me the idea, honestly.” Jungeun’s cheeks began to ache from smiling so much. She brushed a thumb over the cover and smiled at the small message in the corner. 

“To Dongdong,” she buried her face in her hands. Haseul giggled and pulled Jungeun into her lap, letting her rest her head on her legs. “I don’t deserve you,” Jungeun sighed as she hugged the case to her chest. Haseul shushed her and threaded her fingers through her hair. 

“I put the song I sang for you on there and the one I was playing on the piano when we first met too.”

“Are you serious?” Jungeun’s eyes met hers and Haseul nodded. It was ridiculous how giddy Jungeun was feeling inside, ridiculous how her heart felt like it was soaring. Jungeun couldn’t think of anyone who had made her feel the way Haseul had and that only made her all the more grateful. “Thank you,” she said softly and leaned up to kiss her. 

 

“Merry Christmas,” Haseul smiled. 

 

“Merry Christmas, Seul.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bold of me to write christmas fluff in september i know. anyway this update is kind of overdue so take this long chapter


	10. Morning. (Epilogue)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

Grey, pre dawn light began to filter through the blinds of Jungeun’s bedroom windows. She groaned slightly and rubbed a hand over her face. She felt something warm pressed against her side and opened her eyes, her gaze resting on Haseul’s sleeping form. Jungeun felt her heart tug in her chest and smiled. She had forgotten for a moment that Haseul spent the night with her. 

Gently, Jungeun brushed a few strands of hair from her face.  _ She looks so peaceful _ , Jungeun thought with a smile. She dragged her finger across the slope of her cheek and felt herself melt at the way Haseul scrunched up her nose from the contact. Jungeun simply observed her, taking in every detail of her face and memorizing it to perfection. Suddenly inspired, Jungeun quietly got up and looked around for a sketchbook. As soon as she did, she reached for a pencil and pulled out a chair.

It didn’t take long for Jungeun to become transfixed with her drawing. She wanted to get every shadow right. Every line, every crease, every detail. Only the faint sound of pencil on paper could be heard in the quiet of her bedroom as she drew her. As time passed, sunlight began to pour in from the outside and showered the room in a golden hue. Jungeun had always appreciated that about her room, but now she was loving it for an entirely different reason. 

A single ray of sunlight had shined on Haseul’s face, highlighting it perfectly and leaving Jungeun more than breathless. She felt so lucky waking up to someone like Haseul and getting to have this private moment with her. Jungeun knew she was falling deeper the more spent time with her but she didn’t mind. She could love Haseul.

Jungeun finished the last of her drawing and set her sketchbook down, stretching in her seat and admiring the view just one more time. She missed her warmth and slowly got back into bed, smiling as Haseul immediately snuggled in closer to her. She gently kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her cheek. Haseul’s brows furrowed slightly before her eyes slowly opened. A sweet sleepy smile graced her lips as her eyes met Jungeun’s. “Morning,” Haseul mumbled, her voice slurred from sleep. Jungeun simply smiled at her as Haseul stretched her arms and rested her head against Jungeun’s chest. 

“Are you hungry?”Jungeun spoke softly and threaded her fingers through Haseul’s hair. She didn’t think it was possible to have hair this soft. 

Haseul hummed quietly, “You treating me to breakfast in bed?”

Jungeun laughed softly. “You sound spoiled.”

“Mm, I just don’t want you leave the bed,” Haseul whined and shifted under the covers. Jungeun smiled and pulled her in closer. 

“Aw, you’d miss me that much?”

“No, you’re just warm and it’s freezing in here.”

Jungeun scoffed and tried prying herself from Haseul’s arms. “You’re cuter when you’re asleep,” Jungeun laughed. 

“How long have you been awake?” Haseul frowned. Jungeun shrugged.

“An hour? I spent some time drawing,” she admitted with a small smile. Haseul rubbed her tired eyes and sighed.

“An hour. You could’ve had breakfast ready by now.”

Jungeun laughed and rested an arm over her eyes. “Are you always this pushy in the mornings?”

“Nah, I just like messing with you,” Haseul smiled innocently. Jungeun narrowed her eyes at her then smiled too. She took a hand and mussed up Haseul’s hair, which earned her the least threatening glare she’d ever seen and and adorable frown. 

“That’s for being difficult. I’ll get up and fix something to eat,” she grinned when she noticed the corners of Haseul’s mouth twitch upwards. 

“What time is it?” Haseul yawned. Jungeun shrugged and rolled out of bed. She gestured to her phone on the bedside table. 

“Check my phone, it’s next to you,” Jungeun waved her hand flippantly as she scavenged her drawers for a hair tie. 

Haseul sat up and grabbed it off the stand, pressing the home button. A smile spread across her face as soon as the screen lit up. “Jungeun?” she called. 

 

As she was tying her hair up, Jungeun looked towards her. “Yeah?”

A playful smile rested on Haseul’s lips as she turned the screen to her. Jungeun stilled for a moment, an embarrassed blush coloring her cheeks. “Oh.”

Haseul teased her for her lock screen picture. It was the picture that Jungeun took of Haseul staring out the window. Despite it being her only picture of Haseul, it was still her favorite. “This is cute,” Haseul said as she looked down at her phone. 

“I know you’re cute that’s why I set you as my lockscreen,” Jungeun smiled and grabbed her phone. Haseul rolled her eyes at Jungeun’s cheesy response and layed back down. “Wait, how do you like your eggs?” Jungeun turned and paused in the doorway.

“Half-cooked,” Haseul answered. 

“Gross,” Jungeun cringed before Haseul threw a pillow at her which sent her into a fit of giggles. She could get used to this. She could get used to going to bed with Haseul in her arms, waking up to her sleepy smile and bickering in the morning. Jungeun had the widest grin on her face as she entered the kitchen. 

She could really get used to loving Haseul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is short oops but i hope you had fun reading. thanks a lot for the kudos and comments i appreciate it ♡


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